As often happens, two new upcoming products from AtGames and Atari for the Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Microsoft Xbox One, Atari Flashback Classics Volume 1 and Atari Flashback Classics Volume 2, have been “leaked” ahead of the pending official Press Release thanks to early retailer listings (Amazon for Volume 1 (PS4 / Xbox One) and Volume 2 (PS4 / Xbox One); note that Amazon is offering this for just $15.99 each for Prime members at the moment). While I’m unable to reveal additional details or specifics at this time ahead of the official Press Release, I did want to take this opportunity to clarify some of the misinformation or major questions that are appearing on various other sites.

Each volume is considered a stand-alone release, available both as retail discs (at most major retailers) and digitally (via the respective console stores) for a suggested retail price of $19.99 each. Since each release stands alone, even though basic functionality and feature-sets are the same between these and future volumes, you’ll still need to start each respective volume to play its specific selection of games or associated DLC. Further speaking to their stand-alone natures, each disc or digital download will feature the full complement of Trophies and Achievements. As you can see from the preliminary box art, additional features like leaderboards and online multiplayer are also present.

Once the official Press Release is available, I’ll post that as well, as well as any future press releases leading up to their holiday releases. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I am an Independent Contractor for AtGames. Opinions expressed in this posting are solely my own and are not meant to reflect the opinion of AtGames or any of its partners.

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About Bill Loguidice

Bill Loguidice is a critically acclaimed technology author and journalist, as well as co-founder and Managing Director for the online publication, Armchair Arcade, and co-founder of creative services firm, Armchair Creative Services. A noted videogame and computer historian and subject matter expert, Bill owns and maintains well over 500 different systems from the 1970s to the present day, including a large volume of associated materials. See full bio

Thanks for the heads up on Star Ship. I missed that one. As for yet another compilation with the same stuff, sometimes you have to start with what’s come before to establish a foundation for what will come after. This is not expected to be the end of the volumes in this series.

Steam just released the Atari Vault not 3 months ago, and it includes 100 VCS and arcade games, online support, leaderboards… In other words, Flashback Classics is nothing more than Atari Vault split in 2 parts. In fact, Atari Vault has the EXACT same games, including (for some inexplicable reason) a recent hack of Adventure called Return to Haunted House.

The mistake with Star Ship wasn’t yours but rather Code Mystics – the same developer who put Atari Vault together. They have most of the same typos in their game list as well (omitting “Video” for Checkers, Chess, and Video Cube). Also, there shouldn’t be a colon after SwordQuest, Space War is 2 words, and it’s Combat Two, not Combat 2.

“This is not expected to be the end of the volumes in this series.”

Actually, I truly hope it is. Every Atari compilation that has come out (starting with those awful Flashback plug-n-play systems) has made the same, fundamental mistake every time, and that is, the collection of games doesn’t accurately reflect the experiences of playing on the VCS back then. Space Invaders was truly that system’s first “killer app” and single-handedly rescued that system from what would have been an early demise into a world-wide phenomenon. And yet, not one compilation has ever included it (later Flashback consoles only included the arcade version). It also marked the turning point with arcade conversions taking priority over original games. Same with Pac-Man – the system’s #1 game in terms of sales. Same with Defender, the game that ended up getting its own USPS stamp. No E.T. – the game falsely dubbed the game that brought down the video game industry and also helped bring Atari back into the national spotlight with the recent dig and documentary in Alamogordo, NM, not to mention over $100,000 in sales from the recovered games. And before you offer the often-used excuse of the cost of having to license those games for inclusion, perhaps yourself and others should look at raising the needed cash to cover the licensing fees. I’m sure if some serious negotiating was ever attempted, the cost of including inferior, 30+ year old conversions shouldn’t be that hard to overcome. Otherwise, there’s no point in the continued rehashing of games that either were never popular (3-D Tic-Tac-Toe, Basic Math, Human Cannonball, etc) or even available back then (unreleased prototypes, homebrews, hacks).

Taito does not allow the Atari 2600 version to be released, period, hence the new port of Space Invaders (and it’s the same thing on the upcoming Atari Flashback 7 and Flashback Portable with Konami and Frogger). Other games you mentioned are either not made available to license (Pac-Man) or have multiple licensing issues (E.T.). It’s all not as straightforward as you imply. At least with the upcoming Atari Flashback Portable and its SD card slot, you can add just about whatever game you want.

Out of the 100 games on the FB6, 19 of them were hacks, homebrews, or unreleased prototypes. It’s called the “Flashback”, hence implying you can “flash back” to a time when you played the original games. People weren’t playing those games, and they weren’t playing new arcade versions of Space Invaders and Frogger. So the only difference with FB6 and FB7 is the addition of some compromised version of Frogger? Again, this is the same mistake that’s been repeated since the first Flashback.

At least AtGames is finally making an SD card version, so now people can truly flash back and play the original games they grew up with, and not have to sell for compromised games. Hopefully they’ve improved their custom emulator since FB3. They’ve sure had plenty of time to do so (so there’s no valid excuse if they haven’t). Would have been nice if they added controller ports for the option to use external controllers (and support for paddles). But again, it’s always a compromise with these things… Maybe the next version will get it right.

“Sentinel works the same way it does on Atari Vault.”

Which is how, exactly?? Atari Vault is on a PC. Does Atari Vault allow you to use the mouse in lieu of the light gun? Was Sentinel hacked for use with a joystick, much like how all the paddle games were hacked with previous Flashback systems?

Sentinel adds a virtual cross-hairs, which is actually pretty effective. It’s controllable just fine with the analog stick on a gamepad. It’s not ideal, of course, but it does work in lieu of an actual light gun option.

The Flashback hardware series has been quite successful, so it’s hard to criticize it too much. You have to remember this is not targeted to the core classic gamer but to the general public. These are mass market products. If something is created with significant appeal to us like the Portable, then that’s a nice bonus, but not the main goal for a $25 – $40 big box retail product.

So Sentinel now plays like Crossbow. Did anybody bother play-testing it to see if it’s even possible to play the game all the way through? Probably not, since AtGames keeps making the same mistake with games like Battlezone and Secret Quest. I don’t need to play the game now to know how using a joystick is just not going to be very effective.

Since you’re now involved with AtGames, maybe you can help answer some questions.

Who wrote their Flashback emulator? Why didn’t they just license Stella or even Z26?

I see Atari Climber is back with the FB6. This was removed from the Flashback 2+ when it was revealed nobody had permission from the original author, James Rogers, to include it. I’m guessing AtGames finally got legal permission and/or licensed it to be included?

Why bother implementing some convoluted button combination to implement the TV Type switch for one game (Secret Quest) when they should just permanently drop it? Why bother hacking Indy 500 to use joysticks instead of offering support for the Driving Controllers, or why included at all? Again, the general public knows enough to remember games like Breakout and Indy 500 didn’t use joysticks. As you stated on another site, the problem with Battlezone was “fixed” by simply dropping the game (and not paying to license it). They should apply that same logic to “fix” these other games as well, instead of continually hacking the control schemes.

What’s the point of including new arcade versions (Frogger, Front Line, Jungle Hunt, Polaris, Space Invaders..) in a system clearly designed and intended for experiencing VCS/2600 games?

As far as the Flashback series being successful, that’s a matter of perspective. From a sales point-of-view, yes. People clearly keep buying them up. From an accuracy point-of-view, they’ve all failed to varying degrees (sites like Amazon are full of mixed reviews). AtGames obviously isn’t all that concerned with correcting the problems with each new variation; instead, they’d rather keep adding more games (and more questionable games like hacks and homebrews) and fluff like posters. Yes, John Champeau’s fixed version of Yars’ Return is included with the FB6, but it’s still a horribly-flawed game, so why bother? Same for forgettable homebrews like Chase It, Escape It, and Miss It, when there are several, professional-quality homebrews out there?

And no, it’s not hard to criticize it when they keep making obvious mistakes with it. If only just once they would listen to the complaints about them and put a little effort into making a worthy product, instead of yet another disposable one.

Like creating their own hardware, they also write their own emulators. The only new ports (targeted to the hardware) are Space Invaders and Frogger because the respective companies don’t want (or can’t have) the Atari 2600 versions included (the other games you mentioned are the originals). Better to have some version of them than no version of them, but like your odd comment about the fully playable Secret Quest version, I assume you’d rather it just not be included at all. If you buy the handheld, you can add the original versions via the SD card if you’re so motivated.

Your other complaints are noted, but as with most things, there are very good reasons for most of it. You don’t have to (and I know you won’t) agree, obviously.

AtGames first added Secret Quest and then removed it (as per your recommendation) only to add it again a few models later (still fully unplayable). How is my comment odd when I recommend they should have left it out of the lineup completely, because nobody is going to bother or remember some odd button combination to access the TV Type mode? So yes, if AtGames isn’t going to make games fully compatible/playable, by all means leave them off the system. Do it right or don’t do it at all. Nothing really odd about that request, is there?

As for my other complaints, whether or not I agree with you would depend on you actually answering them. “There are very good reasons”.. so I should trust you and that’s that, eh? Well, if that’s your answer, then no, I don’t agree with that 🙂

I don’t see how a simple button combination to access the status screen in Secret Quest is an extraordinary request of a player. I agree it was a poor move to include it in the past, but there’s no longer an issue with it and it is actually one of the better 2600 games.

As for the other stuff, I’ve talked about all I can. You don’t have to take my word for it, I’m merely stating that almost everything is done for a very good reason, e.g., a restriction of some type, business, legal, or otherwise. I’d rather have these products than not, even if they can’t be perfect.

I don’t know how simple the button combination is because nobody has yet bothered to describe it. Why was Secret Quest included on the FB6 when AtGames knew full well of the problems with it with the FB3? Btw, I saw your YouTube review of the FB4 and found your quick summary of Battlezone rather amusing: https://youtu.be/oESVBj_PuV0?t=8m58s (“It looks good… it plays well… no issues.” ). You might want to spend more than a few seconds reviewing games, because even from your 15-second review I can see the radar screen is broken (the first tank you shoot doesn’t even show up on the radar screen, and the circle that comprises the radar screen is itself broken).

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